Bagging machine with horizontally swingable bag spreading fingers



May 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1947 May 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Q rfi--- m fi r\ E 3 n, i .J M & 'f g, I AA/ Q.) f, i 1% r O K 3 p MAW/0 4 144,

. JMiM May 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. '2, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 4 May 16, 1950 BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE Filed Dec. 2. 1947 C. D. HUGHES BAG SPREADING FINGERS 8 Sheets-Shet 5 May 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s y 16, 1950 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTAL-LY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 a A E I-U awat; 1 J' May l6, 19 50 c. D. HUGHES 2,507,905

BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED BAGGING MACHINE WITH HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE BAG SPREADING FINGERS Cecil Daniel Hughes, Winter Haven, Fla.

Application December 2, 1947, Serial-No. 789,230

8 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to. a bagging machine and more particularly to an automatic machine for fillingbags with fruit, for example, citrus fruits, vegetables, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic bagging machine that requires a minimum of attention in operation. An operator is required to place the empty bags in the machine, but, thereafter, the bags arev filled, closed, sewn, cut, and ejected from the machine without human intervention.

Another object is to provide a. bagging machine having a device for holding the bags open and transporting them through the machine, which permitsready afllxation of the bags thereto, which cooperates in the functioning .of the article feeding mechanism to dispense articles into the bags, which coacts with related elements to. effect closure of the mouths of the bags, and from which the bags may be readily removed by mechanical means.

Another object is to provide in a machine of this character improved devices for feeding articles in the nature of oranges or other fruit into the bags.

Another object is to provide an automatically actuated device forseverlng the thread that unites adjacent bags after the bags pass the sewing station and before they are ejected from the machine.

Another object is to provide an automatic .machine of the class described that introduces a preselected number of fruit: into each bag.

Still another object is to provide a machine of this character that is rugged and has a long service life relatively free from maintenance troubles.

131 e the ging machine of the invention includes a horizontally disposed conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, and a bag supporting device carried by the conveyor comprising a pair of bag supporting elements dependingly mounted on the conveyor for rotation about vertical axes, each of the elements having a pair of spaced leg members, means on the leg members adjacent to the lower ends thereof for holdin a portion of the lip of .a bag, the bag supporting elements being sov spaced on said conveyor that the. bag lip holding means define a substantially quadrangular figure when the bag supporting elements are disposed transversely .to the direction of travel of the conveyor and define a line parallel to the line of travel of the conveyor when the bag supporting elements are rotated to. a peeltion parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor.

In the following detailed description, two modifications of the bag supporting device are disclosed by way of illustration.

The bag supporting devices have members cooperating with the article feeding mechanism of the bagging machine for operating the mechanism to dispense articles into bags carried by the devices and the bagging machine includes track and cam members cooperating with the bag supporting devices for holding the mouths of bags open and for closing the mouths of bags carried by the bag supporting devices.

Specific forms of article feeding mechanisms are disclosed hereinafter in greater detail.

The principles of the invention will be set forth with greater particularity and other objects and advantages of the invention will be inpart apparent and in part pointed out in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a bagging machine in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2- is a somewhat enlarged left end view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the left-hand end of the machine on the same scale as Fig. 2

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged plan View ofa portion of the machine adjacent to the bag filling station;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane of the .line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing details of an article feeding or dispensing device;

Fig. 6 is a partially sectionalized left-hand view of the article dispensing device as showninFig. 5.;

Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the article dispensing. device illustrating the. action thereoi;

Fig. 8. is a detail plan view of a portion of the conveyor chainincluding a bag supporting device;

Fig. 9 is anelevational view of the device shown in Fig. .8;

Figs. 10 through 13 are side views with parts broken away of one of the. elements of the ba supporting device;

Fig. 14 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 of an alternative form of article dispensing device;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a modified type of machine showing an alternative form of bag supporting element and mechanical means for trippin the article feeding mechanism;

Fig. 16 is .a left-hand view of a. portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a view with parts, broken away of a bag supporting clement used in, conjun tion with the bag supporting element shown in, Fig. 15, to

provide a complete device for supporting a bag; and

Fig. 18 is a right-hand view of the bag supporting element of Fig. 17.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figs. 1 through 3 thereof, the bagging machine shown has a driven sprocket wheel 29 and an idler sprocket wheel 2! Supported by conventional bearings and framework for rotation on vertical shafts 22 and 23. Driving power for the sprocket wheel is supplied by an electric motor 24 through a speed-reducing gear 25 to the shaft 22.

A continuous conveyor chain 26 is trained around the sprocket wheels 29 and 2| and carries a plurality of bag supporting devices 2l-28 conveying bags from the bag attaching station or zone 29, around the idler wheel 2i, through the bag filling zone 30 and the bag closing station 3i, past the sewing machine 32, and the thread severing knife 33 to the bag removal station 34. The bag supporting devices are then returned by the conveyor chain around the driven wheel 20 to the bag attaching station 29.

One form of mechanism for feeding a predetermined number of oranges or other fruit to each bag will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 4 through '7. As seen in Fig. 4, the bags 35a, 35b, and 350 are carried through the filling zone 30 from right to left, the bags being supported with their open mouths facing upwardly to receive oranges.

Arranged on the outside of the conveyor chain is a series of parallel feeding chutes 36, each chute comprising a pair of downwardly inclined rails 31 spaced apart to support the oranges 38 for gravitational rolling movement down the chute and into the bags passing under the lower end of the chute. At the discharge end of each chute there is located a dispensing mechanism operative to dispense one orange at a time from the chute into a bag. The details of the dispensing mechanism will be described hereinafter with reference to Figs. 5 through 7.

On the inside of the conveyor chain there is located a series of electrical switches 39, shown in greater detail in Fig. 4, each switch corresponding to one of the dispensing mechanisms associated with the chutes. As shown in Fig. 5,

circuit elements connect the switches with their corresponding dispensing mechanisms in such a manner that when each switch is closed and thenopened, the dispensing mechanism associated therewith is operated to dispense one orange from a chute.

The switches are provided with operating slides 49 normally biased to open position but depressable to closed position by means of pins 4| carried by the elements 21 of the bag supporting devices 2l-28 as the pins are dragged across the faces of the operating slides.

The switches and the switch operating pins are so related that an orange is dispensed from each chute when a bag is directly under the bottom of the chute and in position to receive the fruit. In the machine as shown in Fig. 4, switch 39c has just opened and has actuated the dispensing mechanism of chute 36c, the bag 35a being under the chute to receive the orange. As shown, bag 35a is approaching chute 36 and after the pin 4Ia has passed the slide 49 the dispensing mechanism associated with chute 35 will function to deposit an orange in the bag. It will thus be understood that as a bag travels through the filling zone it receives one orange from each chute and the total number of oranges elements 2'! and 28, previously referred to.

deposited in each bag is determined by the number of operating chutes in the filling zone. This number is variable to suit the particular packing requirements.

One of the orange dispensing mechanisms, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 through 7, will now be described. In the outlet end of the chute there is rotatably mounted on a transverse shaft 42 a wheel having a hub 43 and four quadrentally arranged pairs of radially extending curved fingers 44. The hub 43 is positioned slightly below the rails 31 andthe fingers 44 rotate through the slot between cooperating rails. In operation, the hub 43 and the fingers thereto aifixed, are rotated through one-quarter of a revolution in a clockwise sense as seen in Fig. 5 for each actuation of the associated switch 39, thereby to feed one orange from the chute.

To accomplish this result, a ratchet wheel 45 having four teeth is integrally attached to the hub 43 and a dog 46, carried by the triangular dog-plate 47 pivoted on the shaft 42, cooperates with the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter. The dog 46 is pivotally mounted on the plate 41 by means of a screw 48 and the nose of the dog is resiliently urged into contact with the ratchet wheel 45 by a tension spring 49. A link 50 is pivoted at its upper end to the dog-plate at 5| and is pivotally attached at its lower end by a pin 52 to the core 53 of a solenoid 54. The link 59 has a stop bracket 55 that engages the tip of one of the fingers 44 when the link is in the raised position, as shown in full lines in Fig. '7, and releases the finger to permit rotation of the wheel when the link is lowered, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7. A compression spring 55 normally retains the solenoid core 53 in raised position.

In operation, the solenoid 54 is energized by the closing of its associated switch 39 and the core 53 is drawn down against the action of spring 56. The dog 46 moves from its full line position in Fig. 7 to the dotted line position to engage the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 42. Upon de-energization of the solenoid, the spring 56 returns the mechanism to the full line position and discharges an orange from the chute by causing the curved fingers 44 to rotate through one-quarter of a revolution. The operation is repeated as often as the switch controlling the solenoid is closed and opened.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, the bag supporting device shown includes the cooperating These elements are carried by the conveyor chain 26, the element 2'! leading the element 28. Each of the elements 21 and 29 has a vertical shaft 51 -journalled in bearings 58 included between brackets 59 forming upper and lower links of the chain 26. The upper ends 60 of the shafts 51 are bent horizontally as shown to form followers, the function of which will be set forth hereinafter.

The leading bag supporting element 27, as

shown in detail in Figs. 10 through 13, has a horizontal cross-bar 6! secured to the lower end of shaft 51 by nuts 62 and 63. At what may be termed the inner or following end of the crossbar, a depending finger or spreader bar 64 is pivoted on a pin 65.

A spring 66 received in the recess 61 and carried by a support pin 68 has one end 69 bearing against the side of the spreader bar 64 and other end 10 bearing against a wall .end 'of a lever 13 pivoted at l9. :c'eive'd in a slot 853 recessed in the body of the spreader bar and the prong projects through a :holelll.

.is threaded through this slot. ward or clockwise movement of the bar 73 throughfFigs. 10, ll, 12, and 13, it will be seen acumen 12 near its lower :end'which'penetrates the fabric 'ofa bag at one of the corners thereoito support the bag. at this position.

Atthe outer orleading edgeof the cross-bar 68 another spreader bar 1:3 is pivoted on the pin 4.

A spring '15, similar to the spring (it, presses against the inner face of the bar 13 to urge the latter outwardly in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. through 13 and a stop it limits the swing :of the bar in that direction.

The spreader bar it also provided with a bag :retainingprong 17. Unlike the prong 72, which is fixed,1the prong l! is retractable into the body Prong ll is formed on one The lever is reof the spreader bar.

A cam slot '82 is cut in the upper arm of the lever 7:8 and the loop 83 of the spring '15 Following the inthat, as the bar is moved, the spring loop 88 rides down the-adjacent face of the bar it and downwardly through the slot 82 to rotate the lever '58 :inca clockwise direction on its pivot is and to retract the prong l'i within the body of the bar. Reverse movement of the bar causes the prong 'to project through'the holeB l.

Returning'to Figs. 8 and 9, the bag supporting element 23 is similar to the element 2? described in detail hereinbef-ore. However, the prongs 34 and =85 are fixed, and the element has no retractable prong corresponding to the prong ll of the element 27. The spreader bars and 8'2 are pivoted :to the cross-bar 38 and are biased apart by springs; the spreader bars may be pressed towards each other against the force of the springs.

The bag supporting elements 2'! and 28 together provide a single bag supporting device to hold,

for example, the bag 35c in Fig. 4. Bags are easily applied to the devices 7211-28 at the bagattaching station '23. the spreader bars yielding inwardly as the mouth of a bag is slipped there- I overandjpressing outwardly to distend the mouth of'the bag and force the prongs through the fabric thereof.

As best shown in 5, the switch closing pins 4! carried by the leading bag supporting element 21 are so located with respect to the level of the switch operating slides 453 that they will close the switches only when a bag is in place and the spreader bar .84 is substantially perpendicular. When no bag is in place, the spreader bar is swung outwardly by its spring to swing the end of'thepin ll abovethe level of the switch operating slides and thus to prevent closing of any of the switchesdt by a'bag supporting device on which a bag, through inadvertence, may not have been hung. Such arrangement eliminates the feeding of fruit to a conveyor position having no bag in placeto receive the fruit.

Referring back to Fig. l, the bagging machine has a slotted track 88 that parallels the conveyor chain and extends from an entrance 90, just beyond the bag-removing station 34 in the direction of conveyor travel to an exit 9i at the start of the bag-closing zone 3i. The horizontal iollowersilil of the bag supporting devices 2'l28 are engaged in the slotted track to maintain the elements 2? and 28in parallel alignment perpendicular to the direction of travel throughout the length of the track.

The followers '56 are released in the zone between the track exit BI and "removed in condition for shipment.

the'track entrance .9!) to :permit the bag support- :ing elemen'tsto-be turned on their shafts 51. It will beseen that bags carried by the bag supporting devices are held open from the bag attaching station 29 through the bag filling station, asis desired.

In'the bag-closing zone 3|, there is locateda turning plate 92. The plate is supported by the framework at the .level of the cross-bars GI and .88 of the bag-supporting elements 21 and 28; it

is inclined in the direction of conveyor travel from :the'line of travel of the inner ends of the cross bars when they are perpendicular to the line of travel 'totthe line of travel of the inner edges of the cross-:bars when they are oriented parallel to theline of travel. As the bag-supporting devices move through the bag-closing zone, the inner ends of the cross-bars engage the turning plate 92 and'the elements 21 and 28 are turned'through to bring them parallel to the line of travel and to close the mouths of bags supported thereones .shown in Fig. :1.

The .closed bags are presented edgewise to the sewin machine 32, as best seen in Fig. 2, and

the tops are sewn closed. As shown, the sewing machine is'driven by-anelectric motor 93 through beltdrive 94.

With certain types of sewing machines, the stitching continues across the gaps between adjacent bags-forming a cord uniting the bags. In order to separate the bags the connecting :cord must be cut. To accomplish this, there is provided-the knife 33 slidable in the solenoid -95 and operated by energization and de-energization of the solenoid to'move in and out and cut the connecting cord.

Filled and sewn bags are automatically removed from the bag supporting devices at the bag removal station 34. At this station, an arm QB, secured to the frame, projects into the path of travel of the bags at about the level of thee top closure seam line. The arm has a bumper 9'! against-which'the leading edges of the bags hit, as best seen in Fig. 13.

When theleading edge'of thebag 3501 hits the bumper 91, the spreader bar I3 is pivoted rearwardlyand the retractable prong TI is withdrawn inside the body of the spreader bar, thus releasing theleading edge of the bag.

It will be noted that the prong 12 on the spreader "bar 6'4 and the prong 85 on the spreader bar s3! both project upwardly and rearwardly as oriented on the leading bag 35d in Fig. 3. It will also be noted that the prong B4 on the spreader bartt projects upwardly and directly to the rear.

..As forward movement of the conveyor continues,

at a time and fee'dsit into the bags. In this figure, reference numerals identical with numerals employed in preceding figures are used to designate corresponding parts.

Positioned near the outlet end of theorange chute 36 is a gate 99 carried by azlever I05 piv- 'oted to theirame by a pivot IUI. At the end of the lever "Hill opposite .to the end carrying the .g-atBEBB is a stop plunger I132 :slidably received in a hole in the lever arm and urged downwardly by a spring I03. The lever is normally biased to the full-line position shown in Fig. 14 by a spring I04 hooked to the end of the lever I and to the frame.

A solenoid I having a core I06 is mounted on the frame, the core being connected by an articulated link I01 to the lever I00. On energization of the solenoid, the core I00 is drawn downwardly and the mechanism is rocked to the dotted-line position. With the mechanism in this position, the oranges 38a and 38b roll from the chute into the awaiting bag 35. The oranges 38c and 38d are held in position and restrained from rolling out of the chute by the yielding stop plunger I02. Upon return of the parts to their full-line position under the influence of spring I04 after the solenoid is de-energized, the oranges 38c and 38d roll into the forward position adjacent to the gate 99 and are ready to be released upon the next cycle of operation.

Referring to Figs. through 18, there is shown in pertinent part a modification of the bagging machine including alternative forms of bag supporting device and mechanical means for actuating the article dispensing mechanism. The section plane of Fig. 15 extends through the track 89 in the bag-filling zone of the machine adjacent to the article chutes.

In Fig. 15, the frame I08 supports the endless chain 26' in a guideway or track I09. Brackets 59' on the chain and the bearing '58 included therebetween journal the shaft 51' of a bag holding element 21. A follower 60' at the upper end of the shaft 51' retains the bag holding element 21 in its bearing and also, by engagement with the sides of the track 89', which extend from the point 90 to the point SI, as seen in Fig. 1, maintains the element 21 oriented with its crossbar 88 perpendicular to the direction of conveyor travel.

As best seen in Figs. 17 and 18, the cross-bar 88' is provided with integral or fixed depending legs IIO having spring clips III affixed to their outer surfaces by means of rivets I I2 and screws H2. The spring clips extend somewhat below the lower ends of the legs IIO. They and the legs are provided with aligned holes II3 through which pins IIII pass. These pins are somewhat flexible and are joined to a hub II5 carried by a rod IIB extending longitudinally through an axial hole formed in the shaft 51 and terminating in a button III projecting above the top of the follower 60.

From the lower end of the hub I I 5, a guide rod II8 depends and passes through a hole in the guide bracket II9. A spring I is compressed between the guide bracket and hub to normally urge the hub upwardly.

As shown in Fig. 17, the hub is raised to its uppermost position engaging the under surface of the cross-bar 88 as a stop. The pins II4 are of such a length that the lower ends thereof are withdrawn into the holes in the legs I I0 when the hub is raised. With the pins in this position, the lip of a bag may be inserted between the spring clips II I and the adjacent surfaces of the legs I I 0 and pulled up so that the pins, when extended, will pass through the walls of the bag and retain it securely on the holder. The spring clips exert sufficient gripping action to support an empty bag.

The pins II4 are shown projecting through the holes II 3 in Fig. 15. It will be seen that downward movement of the button I" will depress the rod 1 I6 and cause the pins to be projected outwardly to pierce the walls of a bag and hold it securely in place. The button II! is depressed by engagement with the top of the track 89 and is held in depressed position as the conveyortravels from a point just beyond the bag attaching station, through the bag filling, closing, sewing and severing stations. At the bag removal station, the top portion of the track is omitted; when the bag supporting elements reach the bag removal station, the springs I20 withdraw the pins II4 into the position shown in Fig. 17 allowing the filled bag to drop from the supports.

It will be understood that a pair of adjacent bag supporting elements 21 and 28 cooperate to support the four corners of the open mouth of a bag in the manner of the devices shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and that bag closing is effected by a turning cam such as the cam 92 shown in Fig. 1. It will also be understood that the bumper 97 is dispensed with when the modified bag holders are used.

The mechanical tripping arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16. In this arrangement. a link I2I is operatively connected to an article dispensing device such as either of the devices of Figs. '7 or 14. The link I2I may be pivotally connected at its lower end to the point 5I of the device of Fig. 7, or it may be connected in the device of Fig. 14 as is the link I01 to the rocking lever I00.

At its upper end, the link I2I is pivoted at I22 to a lever I23 that rocks on a pin I24 carried by the frame I08. The other end of the lever I23 is connected through a universal joint I25 to a connecting rod I26, which in turn has a universal joint I2! coupling it to a follower I28 pivoted to the frame on a stub shaft I29. The pin on which the lever I23 rocks is supported on the frame by a bracket having a slot and bolt connection I24 piggviding vertical adjustability for the pivot pin The link I2I is normally urged upwardly by a spring I30 tensioned between the pivot I22 and an arm I3I fixed to the frame I08 and is moved downwardly by rocking the follower I28 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 16.

Such rocking movement is accomplished by the horizontal movement of a bag supporting element 2'! which carries a cam roller I32 that rolls along the under surface of the follower to raise the latter as the bag supporting element passes by. Movement of the bag supporting element is from left to right as seen in Fig. 16, and it will be observed that when the roller I32 passes beyond the lower end of the follower I28, the follower and its linkage assembly will return to riiggmal position under the urgence of the spring Although the connecting rod I26 may take the form of a rigid bar, it is shown as a composite, spring-biased bar including a cylindrical section I33 in which a sliding piston section I34 is fitted. The piston has a notch I35 loosely embracing a pin I36 carried by the cylindrical section I33, and the piston may slide in the cylinder within limits imposed by the dimensions of the slot. A spring I3! is compressed between the upper end of the cylinder and the head of the piston and urges the piston towards its lowermost position with respect to the cylinder. Such composite bar construction affords a cushioning effect minimizing shock upon initial impact of a cam roller I32 with the follower I28.

One complete cycle of the cam follower l28- results in the dispensing of one piece of fruit from a chute in the bag-filling zone; It will be understood from the description of the filling operation given in connection with Fig. 4 that only one cam roller l3-2 provided for each coacting pair 2'l28 of bagsupporting elements and that each article dispensing chute in the filling zone hasassociated with it one of the mechanical linkage systems just described. It will also be appreciated that the assembly in the filling zone is so constructed and arranged that when the fruit or other articles are dispensed from the chutes, the bags carried by the conveyor are in position to receive it.

While there have been disclosed devices for feeding fruit or other articles from the chutes into thebags, which operate on the counting principle, it will be understood that other types of feeders, such as those which dispense in accordance with weight or volume of the articles to be fed, may be employed without departing from the invention. Also, the filled and sewn bags may be removed from the bag supporting devices by hand or by other means.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a machine for bagging articles such as citrus fruit and the like that greatly decreases labor requirements in the packaging of such articles for sale and shipment. The machine is largely automatic and a single skillful operator can tend one machine having a large daily output.

I claim:

1. In a bagging machine, an endless conveyor;

means for driving said conveyor; bag supporting devices carried by said conveyor, each of said bag supporting devices comprising a pair of brackets spaced longitudinally in the direction of travel of the conveyor and pivotally mounted for hori- 1 zontal swinging movements, a pair of spaced fingers depending from each of said brackets, means on said fingers for holding a bag thereon, whereby, when said pairs of fingers are swung transversely of their direction of travel the mouth of a bag carried by a supporting device is held open and when said fingers are swung parallel to their direction of travel the mouth of such bag is held substantially closed; a stationary track section extending along the direction of travel of said conveyor; a follower carried by each of said spaced brackets, said follower engaging said track and being constructed and arranged to maintain said bracket in such position that the spaced fingers are disposed transversely to the direction of i travel of said conveyor; and a stationary cam positioned to be engaged successively by said pivoted bracket and finger assemblies at a location in which the followers are disengaged from said track section and to swing them to positions in which said spaced fingers are disposed substantially parallel to the direction of travel of said conveyor.

2. In a bagging machine including a bag-attaching station, a bag-filling station and a bagclosing station, an endless conveyor; means for driving said conveyor; bag supporting devices carried by said conveyor, each of said devices comprising a pair of horizontal arms spaced longitudinally of the direction of travel of the com veyor and pivotally mounted for horizontal swinging movements, a pair of fingers depending from each of said arms and being pivotally mounted thereon for swinging movements about a horizontal axis, means biasing the fingers of each pair 10 of'fingers away from each other, and anoutward- 1y pointing pin affixed to the lower end of each finger for piercing a bag engaging said fingers, whereby, when said arms are positioned transversely of their direction of travel the mouth of a bag carried by'an supporting device'is heldopen and when said arms are positioned parallelto their direction of travel the mouth of such has is held substantially closed; a stationary track extending along the direction of travel of said conveyor from said bag-attaching station to said bag-filling station; a follower carried by each of the horizontal arms of said bag filling devices, engaging said track, and constructed and arranged to'maintain said arms in transverse relation tothe direction of travel of said conveyor; and a stationary ca rn positioned at said bag closing station toengage the ends of said horizontal arm's and swing them to a position parallel to the direction of travel of said conveyor.

3. For use with a moving conveyor, a bag holding device comprising a leading element and a following element spaced apart in the direction of travel of the conveyor; said leading element including a horizontal bar mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, depending fingers pivotally carried by the ends of said bar, spring means urging said fingers outwardly apart, an outwardly pointing fixed pin carried by one of said fingers, an outwardly pointing movably mounted pin carried by the other of said fingers, and means actuated by inward movement of said other finger for retracting said second pin within the body of said other finger and by outward movement of said other finger for projecting said second pin from the body of said other finger; said following element including a horizontal bar mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, depending fingers pivotally carried by the ends of said bar, spring means urging said fingers outwardly apart, and outwardly pointing fixed pins carried by each of said fingers.

4. In a bagging machine, a horizontally disposed conveyor, means for driving said conveyor, and a bag supporting device carried by said canveyor comprising a pair or bag supporting elements dependingly mounted on said conveyor for rotation about vertical axes, each of said elements having a pair of spaced leg members, means on said leg members adjacent to the lower ends thereof for holding a portion of the lip of a bag, said bag supporting elements being so spaced on said conveyor that said bag lip holding means define a substantially quadrangular figure when said bag supporting elements are disposed transversely of the direction of travel of said conveyor and define two lines parallel to the line or travel of said conveyor when said bag supporting elements are rotated to a position parallel to the direction of travel of said conveyor.

5. In a bagging machine, a horizontally disposed conveyor, means for driving said conveyor, a bag supporting device carried by said conveyor comprising a pair of bag supporting elements dependingly mounted on said conveyor for rotation about vertical axes, each of said elements having a pair of spaced leg members, means on said leg members adjacent to the lower ends thereof for holding a portion of the lip 01 a bag, said bag supporting elements being so spaced on said conveyor that said bag lip holding means define a substantially quadrangular figure when said bag supporting elements are disposed transversely of the direction or" travel of said conveyor and define tw lines parallel to the line of travel of said conveyor when said bag supporting elements are rotated to a position parallel to the direction of travel of said conveyor, and successively arranged in the direction of travel of said conveyor; means actuated by engagement with said bag supporting device for introducing articles into a bag carried by said device, and means engaging said bag supporting elements to align them parallel to the direction of travel of said conveyor.

6. For use in a bagging machine, a bag supporting device comprising a pair of bag supporting elements, each element, comprising a shaft adapted to be rotatably mounted on the conveyor of a bagging machine, a yoke mounted on one end of said shaft and having a pair of spaced legs extending from said shaft, spring clip means mounted on each of said legs for yieldingly gripping a portion of the lip of a bag between the clip and the leg, each leg and associated clip having REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,058,747 Hoepner Apr. 13, 1913 1,125,802 Bracy Jan. 19, 1915 1,709,189 Radtke Apr. 16, 1929 2,455,433 Matsen et a1. Dec. 7, 1948 

